A new mobile coffee business in Centre Wellington is taking a different approach to the traditional cafe, bringing cold brew, specialty drinks and baked goods directly to local markets and events. After Hours, created by Fergus residents Samantha Hand and her partner, Jamie Laing, launched its first pop-up in July and is currently operating at Fresh Box Market in Guelph. Hand said opening a cafe has been a lifelong dream. She started working as a barista after high school and has spent years experimenting with specialty drinks, syrups and foams. She also grew up baking with her grandmother. “Our mobile business was kind of born because we love to attend community events in the area, and we found that there was a gap with coffee, that there often was not coffee available,” Hand said. She said when coffee was available at events, the options were often limited. “And if there was, it was usually just drip options. And I’m always looking for fun specialty coffee beverages so that we could bring them,” she said. Rather than opening a traditional storefront, Hand and Laing decided a mobile coffee bar would allow them to bring their business to different communities and events. “We were inspired by a lot of the other businesses that we have seen, and a lot in the States, a lot in other provinces and other cities, that were popping up in different areas and were able to go to different events and we thought it would be such a great addition to the area,” Hand said. The business currently specializes in small-batch cold brew, with plans to add espresso later this year. “We decided that we were going to start with cold brew for the summer, because it’s my favourite summer drink. And we thought a cold brew bar was the simplest way to be able to test and see what people liked, what they wanted,” Hand said. The duo spent considerable time testing different beans before settling on the coffee used for their cold brew. “We really wanted something that was Canadian roasted and Fairtrade,” Hand said. “So that was a first for us, and it took dozens of different beans before we found the ones that we’re using right now for a cold brew.” Hand said finding the right beans and brewing time is key to creating the flavour they want. “I think it’s finding the right beans and the right brew time so that you are able to balance the taste without getting too much acidity is kind of the secret,” she said. The business also makes its syrups, sauces and baked goods in-house, including cookies and brioche cinnamon rolls. “It’s all us. We make all of our syrups when possible, except for maple syrup, which obviously comes perfect as it is,” Hand said. She said experimenting with new recipes is one of her favourite parts of running the business. “We have a French toast syrup which I’m really proud of. It was a lot of testing to get the perfect ratio for that one... my favourite part of this is for testing new recipes and finding new drink combinations, giving them to friends and family.” Hand credits her grandmother with helping develop her love of baking. “My grandma taught me to bake when I was 10 and 11. So she was big into pies, cakes, cookies, everything was homemade. She baked for all of our family gatherings. It was the most special part of holidays for us,” Hand said. Fresh Box Market is one of the businesses giving After Hours space to operate. Caitlyn Debrusk, a co-owner of Fresh Box Market, said supporting new businesses is part of what the market is trying to do. “We were so excited because we started small and someone gave us the chance to build our business when we opened up our first location in Fergus. And so, we want to be that for someone else. If we’re able to [provide] the space for new businesses, and especially something that we love and like. I love coffee, so I was so excited for Samantha to come in,” Debrusk said. Debrusk said pop-ups can also help create connections between businesses and customers. “That’s the beauty of a pop-up. Wherever you go with customers, they’ll be there,” she said. For Hand, the mobility of the business is one of its biggest advantages. “We can bring coffee to where people are... there’s nothing better than walking down at the market with coffee right there and being able to have a treat,” she said. After Hours has also received inquiries about providing coffee for weddings, corporate events and other private functions. Hand said she eventually hopes to find a more permanent setup while maintaining the flexibility of the mobile model. “I think it would be cool for us to expand into something where we have a semi regular spot. And whether that’s with our farm, whether that’s in a trailer, that’s kind of what we’re looking to the future for. That would be really cool,” she said. For now, After Hours continues to operate on a pop-up basis, with its location and hours varying depending on the event. “For me, it’s unbelievable. I didn’t think that I was going to get so much interest so quickly. It’s been incredibly exciting and heartwarming for me,” she said.
